Kumar Bahukhandi
Viasat Inc., a global leader in satellite communications, is thrilled to introduce the India edition of the Viasat: Space for Good 2025 initiative, a groundbreaking global STEM innovation challenge for students. Following the grand success in the US and UK, Viasat has collaborated with BSNL and government agencies for the India edition, which have been key to the program’s success. The India finalist event will take place in New Delhi on September 26th, featuring university-level students.
The initiative has received more than 9,000 applications globally and is ready for the first-ever Viasat Space for Good Challenge in India. The Challenge in India sparked a notable increase in interest, resulting in the selection of eight exceptional finalists from within the country after Phases 1 and 2.
The India finalists bring a remarkable diversity of innovative ideas and personal stories, reflecting the depth of talent and creativity in the country’s STEM community. Their groundbreaking ideas include orbital manufacturing hubs, sustainable asteroid resource mining, electromagnetic satellite propulsion, intelligent space debris tracking, plasma-based communication systems, and emergency satellite-based SOS networks.
Gautam Sharma, Managing Director of India at Viasat said, “India is rapidly emerging as one of the world’s top space nations, with a thriving ecosystem of innovators, researchers and private startups driving its momentum. For Viasat, India is a key region, not only because of its growing role in global space technology, but also because of the unmatched talent and creativity of its young people. We see a lot of interest in space among the public and in schools. Through the Viasat: Space for Good Challenge, we are committed to empowering next generation of STEM leaders across the globe with mentorship, resources and opportunities to showcase solutions that can impact the future of sustainable space technology, both for India and the world.”
These ideas not only address critical challenges in sustainable space technology but also highlight the passion and dedication of the students, coming from prestigious institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, SASTRA, Nirma University, and Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology.
Following the success of the 2024 Space for Good event, this year’s challenge encompasses three distinct tracks across the United States, United Kingdom, and India, with a focus on the development of sustainable space technology to enhance life on Earth. The challenge is designed to educate, inspire and empower the next generation of innovators to think critically about space sustainability and its impact on our planet.
The challenge consists of three stages: in phase one, students begin by articulating their initial concept, in phase two, they refine it with a digital entry and ultimately delivering a 30-minute pitch to industry leaders who will evaluate the top concept using a rubric that takes into account technical, design and policy aspects, as well as the feasibility of implementation. As a part of phase 3 (the finals), each finalist has been paired with a Viasat employee in India to mentor them leading up to the finals. The employee will continue to mentor finalists up to six months following the event. Winners of the final round will receive university scholarships, furthering their education and potential contributions to the field of space technology.
